Partial oxidation of methane by oxygen has been studied on a number of supported palladium catalysts in the temperature range of 373-1023 K at GHSV's ranging from 5000 to 20,000 h-1 and with CH4:O2 ratio range from 4:1 to 8:1. The supports studied included oxides of metals belonging to Group IIIa and IVa of the periodic table, oxides of representative metals belonging to the lanthanide series, gamma-Al2O3 and SiO2. CO, CO2, H2O and H-2 were the only detectable reaction products on all the catalysts. The CO selectivity on all catalysts increases with an increase in reaction temperature, a decrease in GHSV and an increase in the CH4:O2 ratio. Carbon monoxide is formed with greater than 90% selectivity on palladium support on all the oxides, excepting SiO2, studied here at a temperature of 1023 K, GHSV of 5000 h-1 and with a feed composition of 40% CH4, 5% O2 and 55% Ar.
